Attorney Profile
Patrick M. DeLong
Areas of Practice
Contact Info
Overview
As a member of the Casualty Department, Patrick represents clients and their insurers in high exposure automobile negligence, uninsured motorist, premises liability, commercial general liability and construction site accident cases involving allegations of wrongful death and catastrophic injuries in both Florida and federal courts.
Patrick focuses a portion of his practice on a recently emerging area of law–the defense of rideshare liability cases. In this capacity, he develops strategies for successfully defending rideshare drivers and their insurers in complex, catastrophic rideshare negligence and uninsured motorist cases throughout the State of Florida.
Additionally, Patrick represents clients in complex construction defect, and building design related claims and suits. He routinely represents and defends real estate developers, general contractors, subcontractors, licensed construction industry professionals, as well as municipalities, in all manner of construction related actions.
Since joining the firm in 2013, Patrick has defended creditors and debt servicers in creditors’ rights, TCPA, FDCPA and FCCPA actions.
In 1990, Patrick earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from the University of Notre Dame, and remained at the University of Notre Dame for law school where he received is juris doctor in 1993. Patrick is a member of the Bar of the state of Florida. He is admitted to practice before all Florida state circuit and federal district courts, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern and Middle District of Florida, as well as the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Results
Won summary judgment in favor of a national real estate developer in a class action case brought in federal court, on behalf of homeowners in a large planned community. Damages in excess of $5 million were sought against the developer, who was accused of fraud, deceptive and unfair trade practices, misleading advertising, unjust enrichment, and negligence. After the summary judgment was affirmed on appeal, four related class action cases and one mass tort case were pending against the real estate developer in state court. Here, the combined alleged damages were in excess of $40 million, but were again favorably resolved.
Secured summary judgment in favor of a municipality in a Fair Housing Act case brought by a real estate developer who accused the municipality, its mayor, vice mayor and commissioners of racial discrimination after the commission voted against its proposed development.
Secured the dismissal of an FDCPA class action on behalf of a law firm whose practice focused upon mortgage foreclosures.
Thought Leadership
The Complexity of Rideshare Claims, AM Best Insurance Law Podcast, June 2021
Preserving Evidence and Avoiding Spoliation in Florida, Marshall Dennehey Florida Claims Symposium - The Best Defense is a Good Offense, Orlando, FL, September 17, 2014
"Defending Ride-Hailing and Car-Sharing Claims: Handling Accident-Related Lawsuits in a Sharing Economy," CLM Magazine, January 2022